


Another Afternoon Conversation

by dwinchestersgirl88



Series: 'Life' universe [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Evil Dumbledore, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Minor Violence, Not So Evil Voldemort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 03:10:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5811409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwinchestersgirl88/pseuds/dwinchestersgirl88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fawkes flames into the Library and takes Harry to Dumbledore's office. Headmaster Dippet informs him that he and the other portraits have something to tell Harry. They tell him the truth about a certain Headmaster and Dark Lord.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Afternoon Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Second companion piece to Life As He Knows It. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

It was an hour before lunch and Harry found himself in the library. His friends were outside playing a pick-up Quidditch game. Harry wanted to spend the last Sunday before exams alone. Well partially true, he had wanted to spend it with Severus but the potion's Master had an emergency at St. Mungo's. So the library sounded like a better choice.

Harry had just finished 'Dueling with Dark Arts', a book that was written by Professor Flitwick before he became the Charms teacher. The book was one of Harry's favorites and when he got the chance he was going to order it.

As he was walking back to the Restricted Section, Madam Pince gave him full access, Fawkes flamed into the library. The beautiful bird flew to him and landed in his shoulder. Harry hurriedly handed the book to Madam Pince before the Phoenix transported him out of the library. The first year had then found himself inside the empty Headmaster's office.

"Why did Fawkes bring me here?" He asked the portrait of Headmaster Dippet.

"We asked him to. There is something we need to tell you while Dumbledore is gone. Will you be so kind to get the Hat and place him on the desk?"

"Of course, sir." Harry replied and moved to the cabinet. He opened it and carefully picked the Sorting Hat up and carried him to the desk.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter." The Hat spoke.

Harry just nodded and looked at Dippet again. It did not go unnoticed that the others were awake and looking at him.

"What I'm about to tell you is disturbing. If at anytime you want me to stop, don't hesitate to say so. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. If I may, what is this about?"

"Dumbledore. We had to wait until he was gone and we wanted to be sure that he didn't succeed in getting you under his control."

"A certain potion's Master made sure that would be impossible." He informed them.

"Good. Now have a seat this will be a lengthy conversation. We all had agreed to let Armando tell you." Headmaster Black replied. Harry sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, after facing it towards the portraits.

"Alright, lets start with Dumbledore coming to Hogwarts. At the time they were following the way of the Founders. Nothing was Dark or Light, everything was Grey. The Dumbledore family were purebloods but they didn't have money or titles. Albus was three years younger than Aberforth and two years older than Ariana.

"When Albus came to Hogwarts he was like all first years--wide eyed innocent and curious. He was a bright child with friends in all the Houses. Then just after Yule of that year he changed. He was listening to his Slytherin friends talk about their gifts and trips. A housemate, later that night, went to the Head of House and reported that Albus was destroying the common room. Upon his arrival three seventh years were attempting to subdue the enraged first year. In the end the Head sent a stunner at him."

"Was that allowed?" Harry asked in surprised.

"Yes, at the time. I was the one who changed the rule." Headmaster Trimble answered.

"Why?" Harry asked the stern looking man. He turned to Dippet, "sorry, sir."

Dippet smiled. "Quite all right, child. You can ask all the questions you want. Now, Quentin, answer the boy."

Trimble scowled at Dippet before turning back to Harry. "I changed it or rather got rid of it because I caught my Transfiguration teacher hexing a student for doing poorly on a practical. I fired the teacher and got rid of the rule."

"That's horrible. Did the teacher get arrested?"

"I'm afraid not. The child's parents refused to file a report. They were one of the Purebloods who dislike failure. They were angry at me for letting the teacher go."

"Unbelievable." Harry scowled and shook his head. "What happened to the teacher?"

"He went to teach at Durmstrang. We'll continue this another time, let's get back to why you're here."

Harry nodded and looked at Dippet. "You can continue, sir."

Dippet chuckled. "Very well. Albus had to explain his actions to Trimble, his mother and an Auror. He told them he was angry that his friends' lives were better than his. In the end he served a month's detention and told to talk to a Mind Healer. He only saw the Healer once. No one pressured him to continue. The rest of the year was uneventful, though he stop talking to most of his friends. The following years he gradually started to change.

"Second year he was constantly in the library. Third year he was spreading rumors that Slytherins were using magic with evil intent. Fourth year he started refusing to use certain spells, saying they were Dark and shouldn't be allowed in school. He also started hiding certain books. To this day no one can find them. Fifth year was bad. Around Samhain most students fifth and younger were scared of him, no matter what House they were in. None of the teachers could figure out why. That year he also bullied the sixth and seventh years. Oddly, at the time, it was only students who received magical boosts. If they refused his friendship he would spread rumors that they were Dark and evil.

"Sixth year was the year we found out why students were scared him. A first year came forward just before Yule and told his Head of House that Dumbledore did a bad thing. When asked to explain, the eleven year old told the Professor that Dumbledore touched him."

"Armando, I think you should move on." Dilys Derwent spoke up. " The boy is too young to hear the rest."

"It's alright, ma'am. I've read about this and my aunt talked to me about it. I've also heard news reports on the telly."

"The boy has to know, Dilys." Phineas Black responded.

"He's too young." Dilys grumbled.

"Enough. Harry, do you want to hear the rest?" Trimble asked.

"I do, but I don't want to upset Mistress Derwent. If its alright sir we'll save it for another time."

"Very well. Now as you can guess Albus didn't get into trouble because the Healers and Aurors couldn't any evidence to support the claim. When the results were told the child's parents were furious. They took the boy out of Hogwarts. Seventh year was the same. Although most of the school was avoiding the Slytherins and Gryffindors. He is responsible for starting the rivalry between the Houses."

"I'm going to change that." Harry vowed. All the portraits smiled at him.

"Good luck. Now to continue. Not long he graduated Albus met Gellert Grindelwald. He fell in love with Grindelwald, but the other man didn't return those feelings. A year later Dumbledore was telling everyone that Grindelwald was a Dark Lord, and wanted to kill Muggleborns and Muggles. No one believed him until Hitler came into power. They then started thinking that Grindelwald was working with the insane German. Years later around Hitler's defeat Grindelwald was goes missing. Albus told everyone that he defeated the Dark Lord. They believed him without evidence and celebrated it. The entire Wizarding World wanted him to be Minister, but he told them he wanted to stay at Hogwarts. He did accept the Supreme Mudwamp position. From there you can guess what happened."

"The world became separated. Everyone turned into paranoid mindless sheep." Harry sardonically replied.

Trimble burst out laughing. "That's a brilliant description. I like this boy."

"We all like him, Quentin." Phineas replied. The rest of them nodded.

"I like all of you." Harry smiled. "Headmaster Dippet is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Afraid not. The next part is Tom Riddle's time here at Hogwarts. You do know who that is, right?"

"Yes, sir. He changed his name to Dark Lord Voldemort before the first war."

"Good boy. Now, Tom came to Hogwarts and almost right away tried to change things. I don't know what happened between him and Dumbledore at the orphanage, but since the first day they hated each other. Anything bad happening was Tom's fault in Dumbledore's eyes. Tom would always keep several feet away from Albus and would ignore him unless it was a Transfiguration question."

"Did Dumbledore--"

"I don't know." Dippet interrupted. "Again there was never any evidence. Though I can tell you that Tom wasn't the only one keeping their distance. Albus was never kind to the young man. Always sending him back to the orphanage after Slughorn and I gave our approval for him to stay with one of his friends. By Tom's fourth year things were bad. Tom started doing independent study for Transfiguration and Albus was giving the boy detention every chance he got. I couldn't do anything to stop it because by then Dumbledore had me under compulsions.

"In Tom's sixth year the Chamber of Secrets or Salazar's Lair opened. One student was killed. With very weak evidence Rubeus Hagrid was expelled and arrested for the crime. Albus was able to get him free a year later, but he wasn't allowed back. Tom graduated and on the same day asked if he could teach Defense. Under compulsions I refused the request. Funny thing, he wasn't angry at me, but at Albus. Many don't know this but the first war started when Dumbledore became Headmaster."

"Sir, are you saying that Riddle wasn't evil?"

"Yes. At the height of the first war Riddle showed up here, at the invitation of Dumbledore. Riddle told Albus that he will surrender if he becomes the Defense professor and Albus resigns as Headmaster. Albus laughed and then proceed to tell Tom his demands. He told Tom that if he transfers the majority of his magic to him and join his side, then Tom can be the Defense professor. Angry, Tom sent a cutting hex at Albus and left the office. Months later Albus plans Tom's downfall. Sadly he used your parents and another's as pawns. Albus had a temporary success, but Tom will be back for revenge."

"And Dumbledore knows this. Which is why he's trying to control me?"

"Yes. Fight him with everything you got. Also never be alone with him."

"I will and that will never happen. I was taught a lot of spells and hexes from a former Death Eater. Dumbledore would be dead before he tries anything."

"Don't take it that far. He isn't worth a trip to Azkaban." Trimble spoke sternly.

"Yes, sir. Why did you want me to get the Sorting Hat out?"

Dippet chuckled. "Thank you for reminding me. Hat tell Harry what you know."

The Hat grumbled unintelligibly before clearing it's voice. "Mister Potter when I was in your head I found something that didn't belong. It felt familiar. I didn't get it until Dumbledore left. I'm sorry to say this but Tom Riddle left a part of himself inside you. The goblins at Gringotts can remove it even though it won't really harm you. The longer you keep it, the stronger the link will become. Maybe you can use it to help Riddle return to his former self. Having him as an ally against Dumbledore will bring good things."

"Why would I work with someone who murdered my parents?" Harry kind of surprised himself when there was no hint of anger or malice in the question.

"You need to find the full story. We don't know specifically, but we think there is more to it." The Hat answered. Harry's brows furrowed in confusion.

"I need time to think about all this. I'll do some research."

"Take all the time you need. We'll be here if you need anything when Dumbledore comes back." Dippet responded.

Harry nodded. "Thank you. Fawkes can you take me back?"

The phoenix flew towards Harry and landed on his shoulder. "Good bye." Together boy and bird left in flames.

"Armando, are you sure we did the right thing?" Dilys asked in concern.

"Yes, my dear. He had to know. Dumbledore needs to pay for everything he has done."

"But Harry is just a boy." She cried in protest.

"Worry not, Mistress Derwent. Harry will have help. Severus Snape has been helping him. Snape won't let anything happen to his mate." The Hat assured the distressed woman.

"I hope you're right. The other paintings and the castle love him."

"So does his mate." The Hat added.

With the two statements the portraits became lost in their thoughts.

Back in the library Harry was thinking about everything he was told. Only one thought popped into his head.

_I must tell Severus._


End file.
